and yeast, and sealed tight with a bottle cap. A second fermentation will now occur in the bottle. After the second fermentation, remove excess dead yeast( called“ lees”), sweeten to taste, and seal under a cork! Voila, les bulles!
The question on everyone’ s lips: what makes Champagne, Champagne and everything else sparkling wine?
It always comes down to this: location, location, location! Champagne is not only a wine, but also a region in France, just east of Paris, known for popularizing sparkling wine. The winemakers in the region follow strict rules set out by the governing body of wines in France. Under these guidelines, the wines must only be made from three grapes: Chardonnay( which gives fresh fruit), Pinot Noir( which gives backbone and body), and Pinot Meunier( which gives richness). It can only come from designated vineyard sites in the region of Champagne, around the cities of Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ, whose soils are full of chalk, and famous for the kilometres of caves carved out of the porous stone. These soils produce wines of elegance and grace that have pleased royalty and wine lovers the world over.
Sparkling wine is the general term that is used to describe wine that has bubbles from any other region that has bubbles, be it Cava from Spain, Prosecco from Italy, or even Baby Duck from Canada. The difference is in the production.
Cava( Spain), Crémant( made in other regions in France), and other sparkling wines from U. S. A., Australia, and Canada can be made with the méthode Champenois( or notes on bubbles
When choosing the sweetness of your Champagne, the description on the label may not be what you expect. Here is a guide:
• Dry: Extra-Brut or Brut-Naturale
• Lightly sweet: Brut
• Medium sweet: Extra Dry or Sec
• Sweet: Demi-Sec
• Extra sweet: Doux
Bottle Sizes Champagne is bottled in several sizes, from a single serving to the Nebuchadnezzar, which holds the equivalent of 20 bottles.
• Split( 187.5ml)
• Half Bottle( 375ml)
• Bottle( 750ml)
• Magnum( 1.5L)
• Jeroboam( 3L)
• Rehoboam( 4.5L)
• Methuselah( 7.5L)
• Salmanazar( 9L— a whole case!)
• Balthazar( 12L)
• Nebuchadnezzar( 15L)
Wines and their grapes:
• Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
• Cava: Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel · lo
• Prosecco: Glera
• Sekt: Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir
• Crémant: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc( Bourgogne), Chardonnay Chenin Blanc( Loire)
• Blanquette de Limoux: Mauzac
• Cap Classique: Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay photos by jeremy hiebert photography